Suppository holder



March 3, 1959 c. w. MIDDLETON, JR, ETAL 2,875,7621

SUPFOSITORY HOLDER Filed Sept. 1'7, 1957 II'L This application is a continuation ain ipartwof' our 3copending application, Serial Number 673,796filed July 24, $1957 and now aband'oned entitled "fSuppositoryand Means and Method for Formin'gfiand.UsingSame."

This invention relates generally'toi'thefield of (medicamerits, and more particularlytotan'improvedrform of suppository which is adapted to be mo'lded directly into a dispensing casing element thereby eliminatingthe problems of handling and packagingznormally accompanying medicaments of this type.

Suppositories arenormally formed to include a vehicle which will readily .melt or soften at body temperature, but which maybe maintained in relatively. solid form prior to use by refrigeration. Where the :suppositories are molded to suitable shape and subsequently packaged difiiculty is encountered in the handling of the molded suppository as the sameis removedfrom the moldand in subsequent handling during wrapping, owing to :the :fact that the completedsuppository .must betouched by the fingersof the hand of the operator. During shipmentand storage, care must be taken to prevent-"the. suppository from becoming sufficiently :soft so as to "flowfrom its packaging, and still greater care :must be exercised in inserting the suppository owing to the rapid softening of the same when in contact with body tissues.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to providenan improved form' of suppository and casing element therefor in which the above mentioned diflicultieshave been substantiallyfeliminated.

Another object of theinvention lies in the provision of an improved suppository and individual casing means therefor which permits the-suppository to remain 'in substantially fluid form during shipment and storage, thereby eliminating the necessity of constant refrigeration until such time as the suppository is used. c

A further objec'tofthe invention lies in the provision of an improved form of packaging for suppositories in which the cost of fabrication may be of a reasonably low order, with consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved suppository casing element which forms a means for facilitating the insertion of the suppository when the same is being used.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be used by those possessing only ordinary skill, and without resort to any tools.

These objects and features as well as other incidental ends and advantages will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

On the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is an exploded view in elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view in elevation showing the United States Patent 2,875,762 1 :Fntented Mar. 3, 1195'9 I2 casing element whichcomprises a part of thefembofliment in assembled form. 1

Figure 3 is alongitudinal verticalccentral sectional view of. the embodiment showing-the filling of a casingpele ment with a quantity of 'fluid material to storm 'a suppository.

Figure 4 is a "fragmentary view in elevation showing the "sealing of thecasing element after theufilling operation.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the refrigeration of a sealed casing fori'purposes ofisolidifying thesuppository disposed therein.

Figure 6 is aneXploded view in sectionsh'owing'the ejection of a solidifiedsuppository for insertion.

In accordance withpth'e. invention, thetdevice generally indicated by reference character .10, comprises; broadly a combination casing tand=moldingelement11 and a supupository 12.

The casing and molding element 11 is formed entirely from a softheat-sealable syntheticresinous material having a degree of resiliency and substantial .chemicaLstability. Polyethylene possesses the requisiteiqualities, al-

though Where-desired, "other non-toxic suitable materials possessing similar qualities may be employed. The casing and molding element 11 includes a main body-member 14 having an injection tip 15 of hollow cylindrical configuration. An opening 16 is of a diameter suflicient to permit the entry of a hollow needle used for purposes of filling the device, 'as will more fully appear hereinafter. The injection tip is positioned upon a tapered sidewall 18. The opposite end. of the sidewall '18 is provided with a circular edge portion-19- and an abutting-flange as Well as an anchoring rib 21.

Detachably engageable with the .main body member 14 is awcap member 23 .formed of similar material and including a shaped hollow member '24, an abutting flange 25 having a groove 26 correspondingto the anchoring rib 21, and .anabutting surface 27 adapted to engage the surface 28 on the flange 20. If desired, a finger engaging tab '29 may be provided -to facilitate separating of the cap member from the main body member.

The cap member 23 is provided with an internal Zogive 38 which has a circu'larline' of centers of curvature which lies behind the line of interconnection between the surface 28 and the curved surface 40,,and inside the outer surface of the elementi14. Asv may be seen on Figure 6 of the drawing, when the cap member isseparated'from the main body member, either by use of the'tab29 or by contact with the 'surface27, the pivoting action which takes place will occur on this line. Thus, the innersurface of the cap member 23 corresponds to the shape of the suppository 12, and no damage occurs by way of breakage during such removal. In the ideal case, the curved surface corresponds exactly to the center about which the pivoting action takes place, so that the inner surface of the cap member slides smoothly over the exposed surface of the suppository without difficulty. It is possible, however, to form the internal ogive 38 such that the center of curvature at any point on the surface of the ogive lies within an imaginary cylinder having a diameter equal to that of the arcuate surface 28, and extending upwardly in a direction from the surface 28 toward the tip 15. Where such a configuration of the ogive 38 is employed, the inner surface of the cap member separates from the surface of the suppository during the opening of the cap member 23.

When the casing and molding element are assembled as shown on Figures 2 to 5, inclusive, the cap member 23 and main body member 14 cooperate to form a tapered chamber or recess 31 which serves as a mold cavity to shape injected material to a configuration suitable for insertion as a suppository. Referring to Figure 3, :1 tilling 32 of medicated vehicle is injected in melted condition through the opening 16 in the injection tip 15 by means of a hollow needle 33 to a point where the chamber 31 is completely filled. Following this operation, the

'injection tip 15 'is clamped between heated pincer means 34 for aperiod of time sufficient to seal the opening'l against leakage. In this condition, the completed device requires no refrigeration, and may be subjected to any temperature capable of being withstood by the easing element 11 in unfilled condition. The completed device maybe packaged, shipped or handled in any desired manner, during which time the filling 32 will solidify or not depending upon the external temperature COl'lClltions. 7 V

Before use, the device is subjected to the action of refrigeration (see Figure 5), the refrigerating means 36 being a domestic refrigerator or other device capable of sity of touching the same by the fingers of the user.

It may thus be seen that there has been invented a novel and highly efiicient means for forming and inserting suppositories with a convenience that is unknown in the prior art. Not only is the need for manually handling individual suppositories eliminated both in the manufacture and use of the same, but the necessity of external wrapping is eliminated along with the necessity of constant refrigeration from the time of manufacture until US6- the same may be allowed to remain in fluid condition until the same is to be used, following which a brief period of refrigeration will bring the suppository to the necessary consistency for insertion. Since individual handling and wrapping of the suppositories is eliminated, the total cost of manufacture of the completed device may be substantially less than the cost of manufacturing suppositories according to the prior art, and using the method outlined in the specification, it is also unnecessary for the user to physically touch the suppository during insertion.

It is to be understood that it is not considered that the invention is considered limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

What is claimed is:

1. In a holder for a suppository of the class described having a hollow main body member having a principal Once the casing element is sealed, the contents of i axis forming a cavity and a hollow detachable cap member, the improvement comprising: said main body member having an injection tipthereof of generally cylindrical configuration and of flexible heat-scalable material, the outer end of said main body member forming an opening to the said cavity and having on the outer surface thereof an abutting flange having an abutting surface substantially perpendicular to said axis and an anchoring rib; said cap member being of a size and configuration to engage the outer surface of said main body member and having an edge surface engageable with said abutting flange and an internal groove engageable with said anchoring rib; said cap member having means projecting outwardly of said abutting flange providing for the removal of said cap member with respect to said main body member; said cap member having an internal ogive having a circular line of centers of curvature which lies within an imaginery cylinder coaxially positioned with respect to said main body member, of diameter equal to the maximum diameter of said main body member and extending in a direction toward said injection tip from said abutting surface.

2. In a holder for a suppository of the class described having a hollow main body member having a principal axis forming a cavity and a hollow detachable cap member, the improvement comprising: said main body member having a first closed end thereof of generally tapered configuration, and an open end thereof forming an opening-to said cavity, and having on the outer surface thereof an abutting flange having an abutting surface substantially perpendicular to said axis and an anchoring rib; said cap member being of a size and configuration to engage the outer surface of said main body member and having an edge surface engageble withsaid abutting flange and an internal groove engageable with said anchoring rib; said cap member having means projecting outwardly of said abutting flange providing for the removal of said cap member with respect to said main body member; said cap member having an internal ogive having a circular line of centers of curvature which lies within an imaginary cylinder, coaxially positioned with re spect to said main body member, of diameter equal to the maximum diameter of said main body member and extending in a direction toward said closed end of. said main body member from said abutting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,663,461 Brown Dec. 22, 1953 2,718,980 Strom Sept. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,024,488 France Jan. 10, 1953 

